Destroyer

A serial killer is sent to the chair for a number of murdered women (including a game show hostess), but the electric bolts are unable to kill him. In fact he seems to have instead developed a supernatural power as a result. A film crew (including Anthony Perkins, of all people, as the director) shoots at the prison where this killer was to be executed, and everyone will be dead meat. Can the women-in-prison script writer, David (Clayton Rohner) and his stuntwoman girlfriend, Malone (Deborah Foreman), somehow stop this madman or suffer the same fate as others massacred at his hands.

*½

What a disappointment. Lyle Alzado. This guy looks like a definite steroid freak. Man, alive, doesn’t his eyes bulge out of his sockets! He looks like he snorted a line of coke in every scene he shows up. Foreman deserves a ton of kudos for tolerating all of the mistreatment her character withstands thanks to Alzado’s manhandling of her (he pulls her hair, licks blood from her face, cuts her hair and eats it (seriously, what the fuck?!?!), gropes her legs, pets her like a mutt, pushes her around; all of this must have been an endurance test). Perkins seems to be having some fun as the director of a tumultuous production, including a demanding lead actress (Lannie Garrett) and a special effects guy named Rewire (Jim Turner) whose bells and whistles don’t work on cue. 

The former warden of the closed-down prison arrives all pissed off at David for commenting on the rampant abuse of inmates, says his peace, gets reassurance from Robert (Perkins) that his writer would no longer talk about him in the media, hits the john to drop a load, and is burnt alive (via blow torch!) by the disgruntled janitor, Russell (Tobias Anderson), who was tired of his volatility. There’s another absurd reveal from about the warden’s relation to Alzado’s Ivan Moser that is pointless in the grand scheme of things. 

With some lackluster make-up effects and a film crew slaughter that is never seen on screen, along with having to acknowledge how wasted Foreman is in such drivel as this, Destroyer proves to be tough viewing for yours truly. Trying to come up with something on the positive side, I guess Foreman’s chemistry with Kohner is at least worth noting. Foreman is typically always a joy to watch, and her character is fun before she must turn tormented protagonist thanks to Alzado. I imagine it wasn’t too difficult to tremble and shake with the insane Alzado pulling up close to her and dragging her around like a rag doll.

Alzado is the kind of guy who belongs in No Holds Barred and engaging Patrick Swayze in a bar fight. His manic intensity is absolutely laughable. I imagine, though, that if this guy’s coming at you with a jackhammer, fear is certain to overwhelm and engulf us. That can’t be denied. He certainly has the size and muscle of a lineman; it is no surprise he’d suffer a short life, I can visualize the shady doc pumping the shot in his ass cheek prior to each “acting” scene.The indestructible killing machine role was certainly all the rage in the 80s. The massive hunk of humanity that seemed impervious to pain or heavy objects that would kill most mortal men. Alzado falls right in line, but the film's reasoning for his ability to is just plain moronic. This might, however, appeal to those looking for such over-the-top ridiculousness. However, there is the prison setting which wreaks of misery and hopelessness so at least Destroyer has that going for it.